Super Bowl halftime performances have ranged from abject disasters to inspirational triumphs. Here's a look at the best of them

It all started with marching bands and tributes to Duke Ellington. But the days of “Up With People” are long gone.

Nowadays, Super Bowl halftime shows are highly anticipated extravaganzas, with Justin Timberlake, no stranger to the halftime stage, set to perform on Sunday at Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., in front of a television audience that could exceed 120 million.

Some have not received critical acclaim, like Madonna six years ago before the Giants stunned New England, while others have been pleasant surprises, like the Aerosmith/N’Sync/Britney Spears conglomeration back in 2001.

But they’ve all mattered over the past three decades. And here’s a look at the five that mattered most:

Janet Jackson covers up after Justin Timberlake ripped off her top during the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004.(Photo: USA Today)

5. Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake (Super Bowl XXXVIII 2004) — We all know the only reason this one is included. The term “wardrobe malfunction’’ became a part of our lexicon as Timberlake “accidentally’’ exposed Jackson during the grand finale in Houston. It was also a cautionary tale on the dangers of live television. A year later the NFL went as safe as possible, enlisting Paul McCartney to bring some wholesome, family-oriented entertainment back to the grand stage.

Michael Jackson changed the Super Bowl halftime show forever when he performed in 1993. Here he's shown performing in 1996.(Photo: Associated Press)

4. Michael Jackson (Super Bowl XXVII, 1993) — This was the show that started it all. The moment the light finally went on in the NFL’s Park Avenue offices and they realized fans wanted more, a year after a halftime show that was a tribute to the Winter Olympics. And the King of Pop didn’t disappoint. Ratings soared, and the landscape of Super Bowl entertainment was changed forever, becoming far more than an afterthought in relation to the game itself.

3. Beyonce (Super Bowl XLVII, 2013) — You can argue that Beyonce is the world’s most popular entertainer. So there’s that. Throw a surprise Destiny’s Child reunion into the mix in New Orleans, and you had a halftime show that was a major event. There was smoke and fire in the multimedia assault, with dancers, singers, horns and just about anything else you can think of on the Superdome floor.

2. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band (Super Bowl XLIII, 2009) — It was Tampa, Florida, where Springsteen finally decided to accept the NFL’s invitation to perform. The show was worth the wait. After an opening that had Springsteen and Clarence Clemons standing back to back, opening with `Tenth Avenue Freeze Out’’ was a nice touch, with “Born to Run’’ next. It’s not easy getting a lifetime of work into 15 minutes, but it seemed to work, closing with “Working on a Dream’’ and “Glory Days.’’

Bono, lead singer of U2, displays American flag lining in his jacket after singing "Where The Streets Have No Name", during the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXVI in the Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana, February 3, 2002.(Photo: Associated Press)

1. U2 (Super Bowl XXXVI, 2002) — This was the most important and emotional halftime show of them all. When Bono and Co. took the stage in New Orleans, it was less than five months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. When the band got to “Where the Streets have No Name,’’ the background featured the names of the victims scrolling behind them. And as it ended, Bono pulled open his jacket to reveal the Stars and Stripes in the lining.